Delta flight returns to Charlotte, makes emergency landing due to mechanical issue
A Delta Air Lines flight going to Atlanta returned to Charlotte’s airport on Wednesday morning because of mechanical problems, the airline confirmed.
Flight 3067 departed Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 10:16 a.m. and came back to CLT around 10:50 a.m., according to FlightAware, an online website providing real-time information. The Boeing 717 aircraft had a potential issue with its hydraulic system, the airline reported.
“Following safety procedures, the flight crew of DL3067 returned to Charlotte after reporting a mechanical issue while en route to Atlanta,” a Delta spokesperson said. The airline apologized to customers for the delays to their travel plans.
The flight had 71 customers, two pilots and three flight attendants.
An emergency was declared to get priority handling from air traffic control, the spokesperson said. The flight landed safely and customers got off the plane. They were placed on other flights to their final destinations on Wednesday.
Air safety concerns
Airline safety has been at the forefront of travelers minds in the wake of a Washington D.C. crash in January that killed 67 people, and several reported near misses in recent weeks.
American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansa, collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in the nation’s capital. All of the 60 passengers and a Charlotte-based flight crew died on the commercial plane. Three people inside the military chopper also were killed.
Last week, a Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with 76 passengers and four crew members crashed and turned upside down on a runway in Toronto. Everyone survived that Feb. 17 incident, but 21 people were treated for injuries.
And on Tuesday, a Southwest Airlines plane almost collided with a private jet at Chicago Midway International Airport that wasn’t authorized to be on runway, the Federal Aviation Administration said, according to reports.
More on Delta in Charlotte
The Atlanta-based airline provides daily service to seven Delta hubs from Charlotte. In addition to Atlanta, Delta offers service to Detroit, the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region, Salt Lake City, Boston and New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports.
American Airlines accounts for about 87% of services at CLT while Delta is around 4.5%.The airport is the second-largest hub for American.
Delta operates fewer than 5% of flights at Charlotte Douglas.
In September, the airport opened the Concourse A Expansion - Phase II, which is mostly occupied by Delta. CLT spent $241 million on the project as part of the airport’s “Destination CLT” plan to improve services and operations.
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM.
